We haven't even made it to September and there is a concert coming up!
The Menomonee Falls Symphony Orchestra observes the seventh anniversary of the September 11th tragedy with a performance of Karl Jenkins The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace. The performance will be on Wednesday evening September 10th at 7:30 PM at the Basilica of St. Josephat, corner of 6th and Lincoln. Joining the MFSO are the choirs of St. Sebastian Parish and the Milwaukee Archdiocese.
Here is a description from the composer's web site: "In a manner reminiscent of Benjamin Britten's War Requiem, The Armed Man interpolates a number of different texts within the usual Mass form. Malory, Dryden, Swift, Tennyson, Kipling, The Koran and the Hindu Mahàbharàta contribute to a compelling account of the descent into and terrible consequences of war."
Tickets are $10. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call 262-679-0779. You can also send email to mkamenski@saintsebs.org.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
As promised, here's the list!
As promised, here is the list that I have of the community music groups in the Milwaukee Area, the nights they rehearse, and other information. This will give you all an understanding of the different groups, what they offer, and how to contact them. If you'd like more information about a particular group, send me an email at bigbruceb at yahoo dot com, and I'll get it to the correct person.
The post is organized by the day of the group rehearsals. Here we go:
Sunday: There is one group rehearsing on Sunday evening, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Concert Band. The band is always looking for new members. If an audition is needed, it is in order to determine where a person would sit. The group performs a more traditional concert band repertoire, and performs most of the year. The group is lead by conductor Karen Lippert. Unfortunately the group does not have a web site at this time. If you're interested in more information, please send me an email and I'll forward it to the conductor.
Monday: There is a community orchestra rehearsing on Monday evenings, the Menomonee Falls Symphony, directed by Mike Kamenski. Auditions are required. The group performs traditional symphony orchestra works. To get more information, see the web site: http://my.execpc.com/~regent/mfso.htm.
Tuesday: There are three groups rehearsing on Tuesday evening: the Wauwatosa Community Band, the Waukesha Area Symphonic Band, and the Milwaukee Festival Brass, the area's only British style brass band. First, the Wauwatosa Community Band is sponsored in part by the Wauwatosa Parks and Rec department and welcomes any and all players. Their concerts are lighter in nature with some more serious works for band. See their web site for more information: http://www.arcfile/com/wcb/index.html
Also on Tuesday is the Waukesha Area Symphonic Band. WASB performs more serious works and more difficult works for band. Auditions are required. Their web site is http://www.wasband.org/. If you have problems displaying the web site, I do know that their site maintenance is going on now. Send me an email and I'll forward your contact info to the correct people.
Finally on Tuesday is the Milwaukee Festival Brass directed by Dr. Pat Backhaus, one of my favorite groups. If you are a brass or percussion player, this group offers something different from most community groups as the instrumentation is that of a traditional British Brass Band. The music is a wide variety from Pops favorites to very difficult brass band competition pieces. Auditions are required. See the web site for more info: http://www.mfbrass.org/.
Wednesday: There are three groups rehearsing on Wednesday evening: the Sudler Award Winning Knightwind Ensemble, the Lakeshore Symphonic Band, and the Milwaukee American Legion Band. The Legion band is modeled on the traditional patriotic military band. Not sure if they require auditions. Please see the web site for more information: http://milwakeeamericanlegionband.com/home.htm
The Lakeshore Symphonic Band is located in Ozaukee County in Grafton. Their performances are at the Cedarburg Arts Center. You can get more information from their web site: http://www.lakeshoreband.com/.
The Knightwind Ensemble also rehearses on Wednesday evening. The Ensemble specializes in performing newer works for band and wind symphony. Their web site has the list of the pieces performed in concert over the past 10 years plus, and it includes international award winning pieces. Auditions are required, and the band will add you to the waiting list if the section is full. See the web site for more information: http://www.knightwind.org/. The Ensemble received the Sudler Silver Scroll from the John Philip Sousa Foundation in December of 2005. of the tens of thousands of community bands eligible for the award, the Knightwind Ensemble is one of 34 groups to EVER receive the award. Quite the accomplishment!
Thursday: Three groups rehearse on Thursday evening. The first is the Milwaukee Concert Band. As they do not ave a web site, it is difficult to get information about the group. However, if you are interested in a Thursday rehearsal, send me an email and I will make sure that the director receives it. Also rehearsing on Thursday is the Suburban Concert Band in West Allis, and the Greendale Village Band. These groups do not have web sites either. However, the Wisconsin Music Group Band list at http://my.execpc.com/~regent/band.htm has contact information for them. The problem is that the list is a bit out of date and I do not know if the contact information is correct or not. However, if you are interested in these groups, this is the best information available.
And that wraps up the list of community music groups in the Milwaukee area. If I missed one that you know of, please email me or add a comment to the post. I'll be sure to add it to the list.
The post is organized by the day of the group rehearsals. Here we go:
Sunday: There is one group rehearsing on Sunday evening, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Concert Band. The band is always looking for new members. If an audition is needed, it is in order to determine where a person would sit. The group performs a more traditional concert band repertoire, and performs most of the year. The group is lead by conductor Karen Lippert. Unfortunately the group does not have a web site at this time. If you're interested in more information, please send me an email and I'll forward it to the conductor.
Monday: There is a community orchestra rehearsing on Monday evenings, the Menomonee Falls Symphony, directed by Mike Kamenski. Auditions are required. The group performs traditional symphony orchestra works. To get more information, see the web site: http://my.execpc.com/~regent/mfso.htm.
Tuesday: There are three groups rehearsing on Tuesday evening: the Wauwatosa Community Band, the Waukesha Area Symphonic Band, and the Milwaukee Festival Brass, the area's only British style brass band. First, the Wauwatosa Community Band is sponsored in part by the Wauwatosa Parks and Rec department and welcomes any and all players. Their concerts are lighter in nature with some more serious works for band. See their web site for more information: http://www.arcfile/com/wcb/index.html
Also on Tuesday is the Waukesha Area Symphonic Band. WASB performs more serious works and more difficult works for band. Auditions are required. Their web site is http://www.wasband.org/. If you have problems displaying the web site, I do know that their site maintenance is going on now. Send me an email and I'll forward your contact info to the correct people.
Finally on Tuesday is the Milwaukee Festival Brass directed by Dr. Pat Backhaus, one of my favorite groups. If you are a brass or percussion player, this group offers something different from most community groups as the instrumentation is that of a traditional British Brass Band. The music is a wide variety from Pops favorites to very difficult brass band competition pieces. Auditions are required. See the web site for more info: http://www.mfbrass.org/.
Wednesday: There are three groups rehearsing on Wednesday evening: the Sudler Award Winning Knightwind Ensemble, the Lakeshore Symphonic Band, and the Milwaukee American Legion Band. The Legion band is modeled on the traditional patriotic military band. Not sure if they require auditions. Please see the web site for more information: http://milwakeeamericanlegionband.com/home.htm
The Lakeshore Symphonic Band is located in Ozaukee County in Grafton. Their performances are at the Cedarburg Arts Center. You can get more information from their web site: http://www.lakeshoreband.com/.
The Knightwind Ensemble also rehearses on Wednesday evening. The Ensemble specializes in performing newer works for band and wind symphony. Their web site has the list of the pieces performed in concert over the past 10 years plus, and it includes international award winning pieces. Auditions are required, and the band will add you to the waiting list if the section is full. See the web site for more information: http://www.knightwind.org/. The Ensemble received the Sudler Silver Scroll from the John Philip Sousa Foundation in December of 2005. of the tens of thousands of community bands eligible for the award, the Knightwind Ensemble is one of 34 groups to EVER receive the award. Quite the accomplishment!
Thursday: Three groups rehearse on Thursday evening. The first is the Milwaukee Concert Band. As they do not ave a web site, it is difficult to get information about the group. However, if you are interested in a Thursday rehearsal, send me an email and I will make sure that the director receives it. Also rehearsing on Thursday is the Suburban Concert Band in West Allis, and the Greendale Village Band. These groups do not have web sites either. However, the Wisconsin Music Group Band list at http://my.execpc.com/~regent/band.htm has contact information for them. The problem is that the list is a bit out of date and I do not know if the contact information is correct or not. However, if you are interested in these groups, this is the best information available.
And that wraps up the list of community music groups in the Milwaukee area. If I missed one that you know of, please email me or add a comment to the post. I'll be sure to add it to the list.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Summer is near the end...
However, in the last week, I have been out of the area vacationing. And it was very nice, thank you very much! However, it also means I did not work on the list of community music groups, when they rehearse, whether an audition is needed, etc. So I promise to do that in the next week and post it on Sunday the 24th.
Thanks for your patience.
Thanks for your patience.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
We're lucky, and that gives you options
The summer community band season is winding down. Many groups have completed their summer season while a few have a couple of concerts left. So get out and support your local community band!
But if the summer season is winding down, that means the fall season preparations are underway. Many groups are selecting music, and some are scheduling auditions. We're lucky here in the Milwaukee Metro area in that we have so many different community music organizations of all different skill levels. We have a community orchestra in Menomonee Falls, a number of concert bands all over the metro area including one that is nationally recognized, lots of different types of groups playing for church services, and a number of jazz big bands. We even have a British Brass Band. Very few communities can make that boast. And one of my co-workers who has had assignments all over the world has mentioned that there are areas of our country where there two or three community bands in the state. He was always amazed that our area had so much musical talent to support the many musical groups in the area. We are really lucky!
Another of my friends made this observation: if someone in the metro area wants to play in a band or orchestra, and they find that they are not doing so, they only have themselves to blame!
And that statement is also true. There are so many groups at different talent levels, rehearsing on different nights of the week, that it would be difficult NOT to find a group to play with.
So in the next few posts, I'll be going over the different community music groups in the area. So if you are debating about joining a community music group, you'll have a number options to evaluate. Until then, it's time to get out the instrument and dust off your beginner or intermediate method books and get those musical genes working again. Rehearsals will begin in the next few weeks!
But if the summer season is winding down, that means the fall season preparations are underway. Many groups are selecting music, and some are scheduling auditions. We're lucky here in the Milwaukee Metro area in that we have so many different community music organizations of all different skill levels. We have a community orchestra in Menomonee Falls, a number of concert bands all over the metro area including one that is nationally recognized, lots of different types of groups playing for church services, and a number of jazz big bands. We even have a British Brass Band. Very few communities can make that boast. And one of my co-workers who has had assignments all over the world has mentioned that there are areas of our country where there two or three community bands in the state. He was always amazed that our area had so much musical talent to support the many musical groups in the area. We are really lucky!
Another of my friends made this observation: if someone in the metro area wants to play in a band or orchestra, and they find that they are not doing so, they only have themselves to blame!
And that statement is also true. There are so many groups at different talent levels, rehearsing on different nights of the week, that it would be difficult NOT to find a group to play with.
So in the next few posts, I'll be going over the different community music groups in the area. So if you are debating about joining a community music group, you'll have a number options to evaluate. Until then, it's time to get out the instrument and dust off your beginner or intermediate method books and get those musical genes working again. Rehearsals will begin in the next few weeks!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
The Peak of Summer
Well, the peak of the summer season is here: the Sate Fair has opened. And there is something you can do to support bands...
If you go to the Fair, there will be a number of music groups playing mini-concerts around the grounds all afternoon. Different groups on different days, but there is always a group playing. Be sure to stop, listen, and cheer. Many of these groups are high school and middle school bands, and it may be the first time they perform for total strangers. Those of us who support community music groups must do all we can to make sure that the young'uns in school bands have a good time and leave high school with a positive outlook on their instruments, and on music in general.
So, go and enjoy a cream puff. After walking a lot, stop in the DNR area and enjoy the shade and the breeze that always seems to be there. See the pig races. But be sure to stop and take in one or more of the mini-concerts, and cheer for the musicians. Even if their performance is not perfect, they need your support. And maybe, just maybe, they'll be in a community band once they graduate from college.
If you go to the Fair, there will be a number of music groups playing mini-concerts around the grounds all afternoon. Different groups on different days, but there is always a group playing. Be sure to stop, listen, and cheer. Many of these groups are high school and middle school bands, and it may be the first time they perform for total strangers. Those of us who support community music groups must do all we can to make sure that the young'uns in school bands have a good time and leave high school with a positive outlook on their instruments, and on music in general.
So, go and enjoy a cream puff. After walking a lot, stop in the DNR area and enjoy the shade and the breeze that always seems to be there. See the pig races. But be sure to stop and take in one or more of the mini-concerts, and cheer for the musicians. Even if their performance is not perfect, they need your support. And maybe, just maybe, they'll be in a community band once they graduate from college.
Friday, July 25, 2008
A Tradition in Racine
While I've mentioned the Racine Concert Band in a number of posts, I never did get into their history, which is very impressive. Best to do that now!
The roots of the band go back to the 1870's. The Schulte brothers began providing music in the park for Racine residents. In 1923, Henry Schulte approached the city council for funds for an official city band. And so, the Racine Park Board Band was born. For 44 years, it provided over 300 free concerts for Racine residents. Pretty successful by today's standards!
In 1967, the band, then under director John Opferkuch, changed the name to the Racine Municipal Band, which was affectionately called the "muni band" by members. The band also expanded the schedule to include a year-round concert schedule.
The band received a very special award in 1995. The John Philip Sousa Foundation awarded the band the Sudler Silver Scroll. This award is given only to those community bands that demonstrate excellence in musical performance and a strong community presence. In all the years that the Sousa Foundation has been awarding the Scroll, only 34 community bands have received it, even though tens of thousands of bands are eligible. The Racine band was the 10th group to receive the Scroll.
In 1996, the name was changed to the Racine Concert Band, to better describe the group's music and community support.
In 2002, Mark Eichner was appointed Music Director, being only the fifth director of the group since the first official band in 1923. And just this past July 4th, the band performed its 1400th free concert for the residents of Racine. Quite the history indeed!
And as long as we're on the topic of the Racine Concert Band, here's their schedule for the rest of the summer. All the concerts are at the Racine Zoo and begin at 7:30. Admission to the zoo for the concert is free.
Sunday July 27 - Children's concert
Sunday August 3 - Featuring Baritone Gregory Berg
Sunday August 10 - Featuring Rick Sunier on Euphonium
Sunday August 17 - Featuring Soprano Jeanie Hatfield
Sunday August 24 - Featuring Mezzo Soprano Allison Hull and Mark Eichner on Trumpet
I'll be at most of them. Hope to see you there.
The roots of the band go back to the 1870's. The Schulte brothers began providing music in the park for Racine residents. In 1923, Henry Schulte approached the city council for funds for an official city band. And so, the Racine Park Board Band was born. For 44 years, it provided over 300 free concerts for Racine residents. Pretty successful by today's standards!
In 1967, the band, then under director John Opferkuch, changed the name to the Racine Municipal Band, which was affectionately called the "muni band" by members. The band also expanded the schedule to include a year-round concert schedule.
The band received a very special award in 1995. The John Philip Sousa Foundation awarded the band the Sudler Silver Scroll. This award is given only to those community bands that demonstrate excellence in musical performance and a strong community presence. In all the years that the Sousa Foundation has been awarding the Scroll, only 34 community bands have received it, even though tens of thousands of bands are eligible. The Racine band was the 10th group to receive the Scroll.
In 1996, the name was changed to the Racine Concert Band, to better describe the group's music and community support.
In 2002, Mark Eichner was appointed Music Director, being only the fifth director of the group since the first official band in 1923. And just this past July 4th, the band performed its 1400th free concert for the residents of Racine. Quite the history indeed!
And as long as we're on the topic of the Racine Concert Band, here's their schedule for the rest of the summer. All the concerts are at the Racine Zoo and begin at 7:30. Admission to the zoo for the concert is free.
Sunday July 27 - Children's concert
Sunday August 3 - Featuring Baritone Gregory Berg
Sunday August 10 - Featuring Rick Sunier on Euphonium
Sunday August 17 - Featuring Soprano Jeanie Hatfield
Sunday August 24 - Featuring Mezzo Soprano Allison Hull and Mark Eichner on Trumpet
I'll be at most of them. Hope to see you there.
Friday, July 18, 2008
No, I'm not knocking Sousa...
Here's a topic that some people find infuriating. They get so mad at me when I state that my favorite march king is not John Philip Sousa. I tell them that Sousa is my favorite composer of what I call "serious marches", but that I prefer "fun marches". I guess it's an emotional thing. Let me recap a true story from May that started all this.
The Knightwind Ensemble was performing at a Senior Apartment complex, one of those buildings with apartments for independent Seniors, and also apartments for those needing assisted living. The director asked the audience to name American composers, hoping that someone would mention the name "George Gershwin". Instead one gentleman shouted "John Philip Sousa". When our director mentioned that he was looking for a different name, the gentleman became upset. However, the audience did enjoy the Gershwin medley and the issue was forgotten.
But it showed me that to some people, Sousa was the greatest American composer ever, greater than Gershwin, Copland and Bernstein! And it illustrates why, when I mention that he did well at "serious marches" but that other marches are more fun, they are so upset with me. And then, when I mention the name Henry Fillmore, they do not recognize it. Fillmore is the guy that I think of for fun marches! I guess Fillmore needed better PR! But then again, Fillmore never really did what he was told to do...
At a young age, Henry Fillmore was very interested in the slide trombone. His father was not happy about that. His father, a very conservative publisher of church music, felt that the trombone was a sinful instrument. But Fillmore's mother got him a trombone anyway. Later, Henry did something else that his father was not happy about: he ran away to join a circus and married an exotic dancer working in the circus. Bet he scored a lot of points with that one!
Fillmore was always proud of his compositions. Fellow composer John Klohr told Fillmore that his marches sold because of his name, and not because they were good. So on a bet with Klohr, Fillmore wrote a new march under the name Gus Beans from Lima, Ohio. He named the march Mt. Healthy, after one of the suburbs of Cincinnati. And it was a hit anyway. Actually, he wrote marches under 5 or 6 different names. His march total was well over 200. If you're keeping score, Sousa wrote 136. However, to be fair, Sousa also wrote suites and operettas.
Fillmore's most famous group of tunes are known as The Trombone Family, a group of 15 rags featuring trombone smears. The one I most commonly hear at band concerts is Lassus Trombone. It turns out that Lassus Trombone was one of Sousa's favorites as well.
So for me, the summer band concert should end with a serious Sousa march...but somewhere in the middle should be one of two works by Henry Fillmore...lots of fun during the concert and a serious march for the ending! Doesn't get any better than that!
The Knightwind Ensemble was performing at a Senior Apartment complex, one of those buildings with apartments for independent Seniors, and also apartments for those needing assisted living. The director asked the audience to name American composers, hoping that someone would mention the name "George Gershwin". Instead one gentleman shouted "John Philip Sousa". When our director mentioned that he was looking for a different name, the gentleman became upset. However, the audience did enjoy the Gershwin medley and the issue was forgotten.
But it showed me that to some people, Sousa was the greatest American composer ever, greater than Gershwin, Copland and Bernstein! And it illustrates why, when I mention that he did well at "serious marches" but that other marches are more fun, they are so upset with me. And then, when I mention the name Henry Fillmore, they do not recognize it. Fillmore is the guy that I think of for fun marches! I guess Fillmore needed better PR! But then again, Fillmore never really did what he was told to do...
At a young age, Henry Fillmore was very interested in the slide trombone. His father was not happy about that. His father, a very conservative publisher of church music, felt that the trombone was a sinful instrument. But Fillmore's mother got him a trombone anyway. Later, Henry did something else that his father was not happy about: he ran away to join a circus and married an exotic dancer working in the circus. Bet he scored a lot of points with that one!
Fillmore was always proud of his compositions. Fellow composer John Klohr told Fillmore that his marches sold because of his name, and not because they were good. So on a bet with Klohr, Fillmore wrote a new march under the name Gus Beans from Lima, Ohio. He named the march Mt. Healthy, after one of the suburbs of Cincinnati. And it was a hit anyway. Actually, he wrote marches under 5 or 6 different names. His march total was well over 200. If you're keeping score, Sousa wrote 136. However, to be fair, Sousa also wrote suites and operettas.
Fillmore's most famous group of tunes are known as The Trombone Family, a group of 15 rags featuring trombone smears. The one I most commonly hear at band concerts is Lassus Trombone. It turns out that Lassus Trombone was one of Sousa's favorites as well.
So for me, the summer band concert should end with a serious Sousa march...but somewhere in the middle should be one of two works by Henry Fillmore...lots of fun during the concert and a serious march for the ending! Doesn't get any better than that!
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